Method of and apparatus for forming hollow glassware



March 5, 1935. e. E. HOWARD 1,992,951

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HOLLOW GLASSWARE Filed Nov. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 r3 o M Z NvN 4L w e n 0 n z a a: 2 W p v Q QO o MO, @F o .T. o f A w 0 Witness:

March 5, 1935. G. E. HOWARD 1,992,951

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HOLLOW GLASSWARE 9 In ven tor \9 e0g9e fvl/oura/za Witness:

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G. E. HOWARD 1,992,951 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HOLLOW GLASSWARE Filed Nov. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING HOLLOW GLASSWARE Filed Nov. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [raven for flea? efwfi owcua Wiiness: m am m A i torn qys.

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Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORM- ING HOLLOW GLASSWABE George E. Howard, Butler, Pa., asslgnor to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartford, Coma, a corporation of Delaware Application November 19, 1931, Serial No. 575,984

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of bottles, tumblers, and other containers and similar glassware. It is related in general to the methods and apparatus disclosed and claimed in the Letters Patent of George E. Rowe, No. 1,956,203, and Karl E. Peiler, No. 1,955,765, both granted April 24, 1934. A

One of the objects of the invention, which also is an object of the inventions in the aboveidentified patents, is to provide a novel method and novel apparatus for forming hollow glassware which is relatively free from optical defects such as waviness, and in which the glass is uniformly distributed in each article so that each article has both good optical appearance and good general distribution. By good general distribution is meant such distribution that the article is sufliciently strong in its thinnest part, such variations in wall thickness as may be present being gradual from the thicker to the thinner portions of the wall. Thus when such distribution is obtained, the amount of glass used for the article may safety be' reduced and a saving of glass effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method and novel apparatus of the above character whereby hollow glass bodies may be formed by first segregating a substantially solid charge of glass from the parent body as by severing, and thereafter making a hollow body by expelling glass from within the charge, and disconnecting the expelled glass from the hollow charge. In this manner, the fabrication of the charge is effected more or less independently of the supply body, and may be accomplished at a position removed from the supply body and the point at which the charge first is formed. Moreover, the expelled glass which is severed from the charge may be disposed of in such a way as to insure that the desired temperature and viscosity conditions of the supply glass will not be affected adversely.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will become apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. lAto 1F inclusive illustrate several steps which may be embodied in the method of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of an automatic machine embodying means whereby the novel method of the invention may be practiced;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical sectional elevation of a part of the machine shown in Fig. 1 and taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in top plan of secondary glass severing means embodied in the machine shown in Fig. 1, said view being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View in top plan of a device for discharging severed expelled glass from the machine, said view being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the air lines and valves for actuating various operating parts of the machine.

Description of process The novel process of the invention first is described with particular reference to Figs. 1A to 1F of the drawings.

As shown in said drawings, the instruments employed may in general be such as are used in the ordinary practice of making wide mouth ware by the downward delivery of glass to charge a parison mold, the formation of a parison from each charge, and the blowing of the parison to final form in aseparate finishing mold.

But it is to be understood that such instruments are shown by way of example only, and the invention may be employed for making narrow-neck ware and other hollow articles, either by a one-mold or two-mold method and irrespective of whether the molds are charged by downward delivery of glass or by suction from the surface of a gathering pool.

Said instruments may include a parison mold I tion settle head H. Primary and secondary glass severing means may be provided as illustrated at G and S respectively. A blowhead K may be adapted for engagement with said unit, and a receptacle B. may serve to receive severed glass from the unit.

The finishing mold unit may include a sectional mold J, mold bottom K, and a blowhead L may be adapted to supply finish blowing air to the mold.

The procedure which may be followed is:

Glass is supplied from a suitable source such as a feeder to the invertedparison mold unit as shown in Fig. 1A. The glass supplied may be 40 mold N, the neck pin or plunger P, and the sucmaintained in relatively hot condition and caused to flow in a stream which, however, is severed intermittently by shears G of the feeder. Be-

tween severing operations, the shears may be used to support the stream and thus form ballshaped charges of sufficient weight to fill the neck mold N and body mold M substantially completely. I

Each charge may be passed through a funnel such as is shown to cause it to elongate as it enters the mold. The glass, being quite hot, readily assumes the shape of the body mold and fiows into the neck mold around plunger P. However, in order to insure intimate contact of the glass with the mold surfaces and the proper formation of the neck finish, vacuum preferably is applied to the lower end of the body mold and between the neck mold and plunger.

If preferred, the operation of the parts of the feeder, including the shears, may be timed in such a way as to form charges in suspension, the shape and size of which charges closely approximate those of the mold cavity. If this is done, the temperature of the supply glass will be regulated accordingly.

In the manufacture of wide mouth ware, a hollow neck pin may be employed so that cooling air may be circulated therethrough to thoroughly set the neck finish and prevent the glass forming the finish from pulling away when the charge is blown, as hereinafter explained. This cooling of the neck pin may be dispensed with in the manufacture of narrow neck ware.

The neck pin P is allowed to remain in con,-

tact with the glass for a suflicient length of time to set the finish properly. During this time, which varies with different types and sizes of ware, the vacuum preferably remains on. The plunger now is withdrawn, the vacuum first being disconnected, and the glass chilled by the plunger is allowed to reheat for a sufiicient length of time so that it will be sufilciently plastic for the next step.

After the expiration of a suitable'period for such reheat, air is admitted to the cavity which was formed by the plunger, and the glass forming the central core of the glass in the parison mold is blown out astshown in Fig. 1B. To accomplish this the head H carrying neck pin P may be disengaged'fromthemold unit, the unit reverted and blowhead K engaged therewith. The blow-out operation is continued until the central portion or core is completely blown out, and so that a bubble protrudes from the lower end of the parison mold, thusforming a hollow connection-between the glass in the parison mold and the'expelled glass;

The object of completely blowing out the centrol core, until the connection. between the parison mold and theexpelled glass is hollow, is to avoid excessive variation .in theamount of glass in the parison, and-hence in the final article.

The expelled glass, may be received and supported by a cup or thelike, as shown at .R, which may be moved into and out of glass receiving position in suitable .manner. However, the cup R may be omitted and the expelled glass discharged directly into a chute or onto any suit- 1 onto this thin filmf to form thebottom of the parison reheats the thin fihn and forms a' bottom able type of conveyor.

As soon as the central core has been blown out ow connection is severed by moving a knife blade.

6 across the lower end of the parison mold, as

accumulating hot glass.

shown in Figs. 13 and 1C. This severing preferably is done with a single knife blade, although shears spaced below the bottom of the mold may be employed, if desired.

After'severing, the hollow connection and expelled glass collapse somewhat in cup R which now entirely supports the weight thereof. Such glass ,ma'y -be discharged back into the melting tank at a suitable distance from the discharge opening or orifice, such that 'it may be reheated and reassimilated before it reaches said opening In this way, the heat in such glass at the: time of severing is substantially conserved. Thus, the glass may quickly be discharged to the melting or refining portion of the tank. If desired, however, this excess glass may be discharged into-a suitable storage bin and the glass used as cullet in the usual manner.

The walls of the parison, which are left in place by the operation of blowing out the central core, are tapered in thickness, being thinner above-and thicker below. This is at least partly due to the fact that both during and afterthe blowing out operation the glass in the walls, which is still plastic, tends to run down or slump under the influence of gravity, thereby becoming gradually thicker at the lower portion and thinner at the upper portion. This tendency is made use of in closing the bottom of the parison after the cutting-off operation, as will be explained later. In severing by the preferred form, the knife S is preferably left in contact with the glass just I as short a time as possible. This is also preferable when severing with a pair of spaced shear blades. To minimize the time during which the single knife blade is in contact with the glass, it may be moved completely across the parison mold cavity, being lowered or moved to one side before returning or being kept out of further contact on or before its returnstroke by further lateral or vertical movement of the parison mold. If it is not possible to move the knife in this manner, it should pause under the parison mold as short a time as possible, and should withdrawimmediately. 9 7

As the knife cuts through the glass, it forms a very thin film of glass, closing the lower end of the parison so that the parison is hollow excepting for this thin film across its lower end. This is illustrated in Fig. 10. After the cut-off is completed, and after the knife is preferably withdrawn, the glass in the parison walls continues for a short time to run down as previously described, so that the walls become thinner up above and thicker below. This causes additional molten glass to accumulate on the thin film which has been chilled by contact with the shearing surface, and which therefore acts to support this This glass gradually accumulates at the bottom of the parison until it assumes the form shown in Fig. 1D. (Fig. 1C shows lower end of parisonwith shear removed, showing thin film above referred to.) The parison is. now ready for transfer to the blow 'mold.

As a result of the immediate withdrawafof the shear blade and the formation of only ai 'thin slightly chilled supporting film closing the lower end of the parison, the ,hot glass running down which is not undulyflchilled' This prevents the setting up ofstrainsfrom chillat the bottom of the parison and results in ware which may be made sufficiently free from strain in the bottom.

It is not necessaryto apply pressure while the cut-oil knife closes the bottom of the parison mold or to support the glass with a bottom plate in order to set the parison walls properly against the walls of the parison mold. This operation is rendered unnecessary by the fact that the air pressure which blows out the central core of the gathered mass of glass in the parison mold serves the same purpose. This air pressure is applied very soon after the mold is charged and while the glass forming the parison walls is still extremely plastic. It therefore acts with great eiliciency to force the glass into intimate contact with the walls of the parison mold.. Moreover, this air pressure may be considerable, and is therefore quite suillcient for this purpose. It is therefore unnecessary to leave the knife under the parison mold for any appreciable period of time or to engage a bottom plate with the bottom of the mold. On the contrary, the knife may be immediately withdrawn, with the various advantages which have been described above.

The finished parison is then transferred to the blow mold J for final blowing into the complete article. This transfer operation is preferably effected by first disengaging the parison mold from the parison, leaving it suspended in the neck ring N; then closing the blow mold about the suspended parison; and then disengaging the neck ,ring from the parison, leaving the parison suspended in the blow mold, as shown in Fig. 1E. A blow head L is then applied over the mouth of the parison in the blow mold and the parison is blown to final form as-shown in Fig. 1F. However, the parison may be blown to final shape in the blow mold while held by the neck ring, according to the known practice in the art, if desired.

The interior shape of the parison mold M should be suitably made to provide the proper quantity of glass in the final article in the manner and for the purposes disclosed in the patent to Karl E. Peiler above referred to. Thus, in making a wide mouth article-as shownin Fig. 1F, the internal and external contour of the parison may be approximately as shown in Figs. 1A to 1E, so that the distribution of glass in the final article may be readily controlled.

From the foregoing it will be seen that glassware made according to the invention will be free from waviness and other defects, inasmuch as the parison mold unit is substantially filled with glass in the charging operation. This resultsin a uniform chilling of the exterior of the charge, and particularly avoids a settle wave, which is obtained when the charge only partially fills the parison mold. It also enables the distribution of glass in the finished ware to be controlled in the desired manner in conjunction with the proper selectionof the size and/or shape of the parison mold cavity.

By severing the charge from the parent body as soon as it fills the mold, and prior to the blow out operation, the mold may be moved away from the charging point immediately, to make way for a succeeding mold, thus speeding up operation. Incidental to this advantage is that it is unnecessary to return the blown out glass to the parent body at the time of the blowing out operation.

Description of apparatus The illustrated automatic machine for performing the novel method is substantially the same as that shown in the patent to J. W. Lynch No.

1,766,135, granted June 24, 1930, modified as hereinafter explained.

This machine comprises six parison mold units and six finishing mold units mounted respectively on separate tables which are rotated stepby-step. These units are substantially the same asshown in Figs. 1A to 1F.

The parts of the machine corresponding to the parts shown in Figs. 1A to 1F are designated by the same reference characters. Italicized refer ence characters are employed to designate certain parts which are shown in the Lynch patent and identified by the same characters therein.

As shown in Fig. 2 and diagrammatically in Fig. l, a feeder is provided for periodically supplying charges of glass through a funnel 11 to the inverted mold units at station I.

The feeder 10 may be of known construction and operated to supply the charges as already explained.

The feeder 10 comprises a pair of shears G which may be operated at appropriate times by air motor 12, timed from another part of the feeder. It will be understood that the operation of feeder 10, including its shears, is synchronized with the operation of the machine proper.

The neck molds and parison molds are opened and closed and are inverted and reverted by the same mechanisms as are shown in the Lynch patent.

The neck pin P, which cooperates with successive molds, is carried by rod 79 of air motor 80. Rod 79 also passes through head H, and a spring 13 surrounding the rod yieldingly urges it upward into engagement with aneck mold N. The head has a lost motion connection with rod 79 so that the final part of the withdrawing movement of the neck pin serves to disengage the head H and one of the neckmolds N.

Vacuum is applied to head H through a conduit 14, as later explained. This vacuum is applied to the neck finish in known manner and also to the lower part of the parison mold M through passages 15 (Fig. 2) to assist in filling the mold and forcing the glass into intimate contact with the parison mold. Suitable connections are provided between the interior of head H and the neck mold and passages 15 of the parison mold for such application of vacuum.

The settle blow head of the Lynch patent is omitted, as also is the counterblow baffle plate at the parison forming station.

However, at the last-named station, designated herein as station II, is located a blowhead K, Fig. 3; which is identical with the blowhead of the patent for effecting counterblowing. This blow head is moved into and out of operative position by an air motor 136.

Station II may be described as the blow out station, and it is here that severing knife S and receiving cup R are located, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The blade S (Fig. 4) is mounted on the inner end of a horizontal lever 1'7 pivoted on bracket 18, the outer end of which is connected to air motor 19 also pivoted on the bracket 18. The bracket 18 in turn is secured to post 94.

Air motor 19 is provided withconduits 20 and 21-through which air is admitted and exhausted to operate the shear as later explained.

Cup R (Fig. 3) .is mounted on rock shaft 22 in the inner end of arm 23. Shaft 22 also carries a pin 24. Arm 23 is secured to vertical rock shaft 25 journaled in bracket 26, secured to post 94.

The shaft 25 carries gear 2'? in mesh with rack 28 of air motor 29. Said air motor has conduits 31 and 32 through which air is admitted and exhausted to swing arm 23 and cup R inwardly of the table to receive severed glass, and outwardly to discharge such glass from the machine. When the arm swings outwardly, pin 24 strikes stationary pin 33, tilting the cup as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. In this way-.the severed glass may be discharged to a chute or conveyor (not shown) for returning it to the tank or to deliver it to a cullet bin. When arm 23 is swung inwardly, cup R is returned to upright position by tension spring 33a.

Cup R, instead of being operated as above described, may be held stationary and the glass deposited therein removed in any desired mariner, or if preferred, a chute may be used in place of the cup.

The finishing molds J, which receive the parisons from the neck molds at the transfer station III, are of the sectional type, the sections thereof being designated at 34. These molds are closed and opened by cams 70 and 77 in the same manner as the so-called sectional bust-off rings of the patent to Lynch.

The bottom closures K1 for the finishing molds J may be mounted on stationary supports 35 by means of which they are held in position to be enclosed by the molds as shown in Figs. 1E and IF.

It may be desirable to blow the parisons in the finishing molds, which are transferred at stationIII, at station IV, as well as at station V. Therefore, a mold clamp 93a may be located at station IV. Thisclamp may be of the same construction and operated by the same means as the clamp 93 at station V. It will be understood.

that finish blowheads L, operated by air motors 136 (Fig. 6), will be located at both stations IV and V.

Operation The operation of the above-described apparatus may be as follows:

The machine preferably is operated in timed relation with feeder and its shears G, by means of valve 37 (Fig. 6) in main pressure line M. Valve 37 may be opened and closed by a continuously rotating cam 38 operated by a moving part of feeder 10.

The periodic opening of valve 37 causes the mold tables to be rotated step-by-step. This results from the fact that air flows from valve 37 through line 117 to the table turning mechanism, each time the valve is opened, starting a series of operations resulting finally in the rotation of the tables one step, v

The table turning mechanism is substantially .the same as that shown in the patent to Lynch,

including a piston and cylinder, table lockin pins which serve as valves, etc. As the tables come to rest, a mold unit is carried to station I (Fig. 1) beneath feeder 10 (Fig. 2) where it is held inverted to be charged with glass. At this time, air is admitted to conduit 135 through the blow mold table locking pin, this operating air motor 80 to seat neck pin P and engage head H with the neck mold N of the unit, and also operating air motor 42 through conduit 43, to open valve 44 in vacuum line 14 which leads to' head H for purposes previously explained.

In the meantime, glass has entered the mouth of the body mold preferably in time to seal the mold for the applicationof vacuum, and when the mold is substantially full, shears G sever the glass in the mold from that in the orifice of the feeder.

The neck pin P and head H are withdrawn just prior to the next movement of the tables, the retraction of the locking pin of the blow mold table admitting air to conduit 134, and the retraction of the other locking pin exhausting air from conduit 135 to operate air motor 80 which in turn actuates the neck pin. Vacuum valve 44 will have been closed just previously by air flowing through line 45, and exhausting through line 43, of air motor 42.

The charged mold unit now is moved to station II (Fig. 1), during the course of which movement the unit is reverted by suitable mechanism such as shown in the Lynch patent. The position of the unit at station II is best shown in Fig. 3. It is here that the blowing-out and second severing operations occur.

Air is applied to the charge by the blow head K operated by air motor 136, to and from which air is admitted through conduits 135 and 134 respectively to move the head into operative and inoperative positions in the same way as neck pin P is operated by air motor 80 (see Fig. 6).

When air thus is applied to the glass, cup R will be in receiving position as shown in Fig. 3, having arrived there consequent ,to the passage of air from line 135 through conduit 31 (Fig. 6) of air motor 29, which operates the cup. Therefore, the glass which is expelled by the mold unit, and constituting the central core of the charge, will be received and in part supported by cup R.

The shear blade S now is operated by its air motor 19 (Figs. 4 and 6) to sever the expelled glass from the hollow body remaining in the mold. As a result, the severed expelled glass is supported entirely by cup R, which is operated as later explained to discharge such glass from the machine.

The operation of air motor 19 to move the blade S counterclockwise (Fig. 4) and thus effect the severing operation is caused by air flowing from line 134 through valve 39 (Fig. 6) to which line 20 of the air motor is connected. Valve 39 is' supported in position to be operated by cams 41 on the hub of the parison mold table, there being one cam for each mold unit. When the table comes to rest, valve 39 is held open by a cam 41 so that when the air is admitted later to line 134, as already explained, the shear blade will be operated.

The blade is held in the dot-and-dash line position of Fig. 4 until after the tables have begun to move so that the blade will not smear the bottom of the charge. This permits the mold M to move beyond the path of the blade before the blade is returned to full line position.

The blade is returned to its original full-line position by the disengagement of a cam 41 and valve 39 which moves the valve to exhaust position, and by the admission of air from line 153 to line 21 of air motor 19. Air is admitted to and exhausted from line 153 by valve 152 actuated periodically by cams 154 on the hub of the blow mold table. The cams are located to move the valve to air supply position while the blow mold table is rotating.

Cup R is swung outwardly and tilted to discharge the glass therein, by air which flows from line 21 through conduit 32 of airmotor 29, which oscillates the cup.

The disengagement of cams 154 and valve 152 permits air to be exhausted through conduits 21 and 32 preparatory to further operations of shear blade S and cup R, effected by the admission of airto line 134 and conduit 30, and line 135 and conduit 31, as already explained.

It will be understood that the parison completed at station II is transferred to a blow mold at station III and blown to final shape at either or both of stations IV and V wherev blow heads L (Fig. 6) may be located. Blow heads L are actuated by air motors 136 in the same way as neck pin P and its air motor and mold locks 93 and 93a, actuated by air motors 98, are similarly operated.

Various changes may be made in the method and apparatus as above described without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been explained with reference to a two-table intermittent machine, it can be employed to equal advantage in one or two-table continuous machines, or in stationary or reciprocating machines, when modified in accordance with the requirements of the novel method.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim-and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming hollow glassware which comprises, delivering glass from a supply body to a parison mold in a sufiicient amount to charge the mold substantially full, severing the charge from the supply body, blowing out of the mold a central core of the charge to form a hollow body, severing the expelled glass from the hollow body while the glass in the charge remains at workable viscosity, transferring the parison thus formed to a finishing mold and blowing the parison to final form in the finishing mold.

2. Apparatus for forming hollow I glassware comprising a mold for at least partially shaping the glassware, means for supplying glass from a parent body to said mold to be shaped therein, means for severing the mold charge from the parent body, means for expelling from the mold a central core of the charge to form a hollow body, means for severing the blown-out glass from the hollow body of glass remaining in the mold while the glass is at workable viscosity, and means acting on the hollow body for forming a finished article of glassware therefrom.

3. Apparatus for forming hollow glassware comprising a mold for at least partially shaping the glassware, means for supplying glass from a parent body to said mold to be shaped therein, means for seve ing the mold charge from the parent body, means for blowing out of the mold a central core of the charge to form a hollow body, means for receiving the blown-out glass, means for severing the blown-out glass from the hollow body of glass in the mold to release it to the receiving means while the glass in the mold is at workable viscosity, and means acting on the hollow body for forming a finished article of glassware therefrom.

4. Apparatus for forming hollow glassware comprising a mold for at least partially shaping the glassware, means for supplying segregated charges of glass to said mold including a severing device, automatic means for expelling a portion of each charge from the mold'to form a hollow body therein, automatic means for severing each expelled portion of glass from the portion remaining in the mold while the glass is at workable viscosity, and means acting on the hollow body for forming a finished article therefrom.

5. Apparatus for forming hollow glassware comprising a mold for at least partially shaping the glassware, means for supplying segregated charges of glass to said mold including a severing device, automatic means for expelling a portion of each charge from the mold to form a hollow body therein, automatic means for severing each expelled portion of glass from the portion remaining in the mold while the glass in the mold is at workable viscosity, a receptacle for the expelled portion of glass, automatic means for moving the receptacle into and out of a position adjacent the mold to receive the expelled portion of glass and for operating it to discharge the expelled portion of glass from the apparatus, and means acting on the hollow body to form a finished article therefrom.

6. Apparatus for forming hollow glassware comprising a mold for at least partially shaping the glassware, means for supplying segregated charges of glass to said mold including a severing device, automatic means for expelling a portion of each charge from the mold to form a hollow body therein, automatic means for severing each expelled portion of glass from that remaining in the mold while the glass is at workable viscosity, 9. device for receiving the expelled glass, automatic -means for moving the device from a position to receive the expelled glass to a position for discharging the expelled glass, and for operating the device to discharge the glass therefrom, and means acting on the hollow body to'form a finished article therefrom.

GEORGE E. HOWARD. 

